Dishonored 2
Dishonored 2 is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Arkane Lyon and published by Bethesda Softworks for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It is the sequel to 2012's Dishonored. After Empress Emily Kaldwin is deposed by the witch Delilah Copperspoon, the player may choose between playing as either Emily or her Royal Protector and father Corvo Attano as they attempt to reclaim the throne. Emily and Corvo employ their own array of supernatural abilities, though the player can alternatively decide to forfeit these abilities altogether. Due to the game's nonlinear gameplay, there are a multitude of ways to complete missions, from non-lethal stealth to purposeful violent conflict.
| Dishonored 2 | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Arkane Lyon |
| Publisher(s) | Bethesda Softworks |
| Director(s) | Harvey Smith |
| Designer(s) | Dinga Bakaba |
| Programmer(s) | Hugues Tardif |
| Artist(s) | Sébastien Mitton |
| Writer(s) |
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| Composer(s) | Daniel Licht |
| Series | Dishonored |
| Engine | Void Engine |
| Platform(s) |
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| Release | 11 November 2016 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure, stealth |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Ideas for Dishonored 2 began while developing the downloadable content of its predecessor, which spawned the decision to create a voice for Corvo Attano after being a silent character in the first installment. The advancement of the timeline was brought about once Emily Kaldwin, a child in Dishonored, was proposed as a playable character. The game's aesthetic was influenced by paintings and sculptures. Set in the fictional city of Karnaca, its history was invented in the span of one year. The city itself was based on Larnaca in Cyprus and other Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, and Spain, drawing on the architecture, fashion, and technologies of 1851. Voice actors include Rosario Dawson, Sam Rockwell, Robin Lord Taylor, Jamie Hector, Pedro Pascal, and Vincent D'Onofrio.
Dishonored 2 was released to a positive reception. Praised were the improvements made since the first game: the more challenging stealth, the adaptability of Emily and Corvo's abilities to both play styles, the creative design of individual missions, the realization of the game's world, and the artificial intelligence. Criticism was directed at the lack of focus of the overarching narrative. The PC version of the game became subject to technical issues at launch. Dishonored 2 won the award for Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards 2016 and for Costume Design at the 2017 NAVGTR Awards. Since then, it has been listed as one of the greatest games ever made. A standalone sequel, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, was released in 2017 by Arkane Lyon.